1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
a cold is often catching before the symptoms even begin
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
a catching smile that instantly puts patients at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in grabbing
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in getting
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in stopping
to bring (something) to a standstill
I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete
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4
as in securing
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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5
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of
I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in tricking
to cause to believe what is untrue
a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story
Synonyms & Similar Words
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7
as in encountering
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
I'll catch you at the library tomorrow
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8
as in noticing
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed
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9
as in chasing
to move fast enough to get even with
despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catching
Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The team also caught a break as far as their catching depth with veteran Eric Haase clearing waivers and starting for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Mother-of-pearl has a way of catching the light that feels almost magical.
—Jaha Nailah Avery, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catching
Adjective
In the snaps, Hemsworth can be seen catching waves alongside his twin sons, Sasha and Tristan, 12, as well as cliff jumping and spending time with some friends by the water.
—Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 8 Apr. 2026
The team also caught a break as far as their catching depth with veteran Eric Haase clearing waivers and starting for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats on Wednesday.
—Shayna Rubin, San Francisco Chronicle, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
Midwives were used to taking care of mothers, offering medicines, catching babies, cutting cords, washing and swaddling.
—Literary Hub, 16 June 2026
Mother-of-pearl has a way of catching the light that feels almost magical.
—Jaha Nailah Avery, Architectural Digest, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for catching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching
Adjective
-
Collaborating with the Centers for Disease and Control and the California Department of Public Health, county health officials are working with the above locations and agencies to identify potential close contacts who were exposed to measles during the infectious period.—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
-
What else is going on A person with an infectious case of the measles likely visited San Francisco International Airport, a Bay Area county has warned.—
Kevinisha Walker,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Verb
-
Noem has come under fire during her tenure at DHS for her attention-grabbing deportation tactics.—
Greta Bjornson,
PEOPLE,
11 Dec. 2025
-
The viewer quickly gets bored before grabbing the remote.—
Hannah Miller,
Fortune,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The show follows a musician, Hannah Wells (Ella Bright), getting into a fake relationship with the captain of the university hockey team, Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli), to get the attention of her crush.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
-
Write some of this century’s most devastating songs about the ecstasy of getting together.—
Mikael Wood,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Apparently, the only thing stopping him from scoring a fourth is Argentina's taking him off the pitch.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
17 June 2026
-
Fans can also pick up souvenir maps when stopping at the attraction this summer.—
Chiara Kim,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
The Spurs still had plenty of time to get a shot up, but Stephon Castle wasn’t able to hoist it on the inbound pass, securing the historic victory for New York, who are now just a game away from their first title since 1973.—
Jacob Lev,
CNN Money,
11 June 2026
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Supporters declare victory as late ballots push a half-cent healthcare sales tax ahead with just over 50% support countywide, securing simple-majority passage after trailing in early election-night returns.—
Rebecca Ellis,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Here was a man who answered the bell for nearly six years knowing that the audience had virtually disappeared because of a dispute with Comcast.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
11 June 2026
-
That real trust can be rare, from knowing other young lads (at Liverpool) and their experiences on loan.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
North Korea has supplied troops to Russia which has also been accused of tricking citizens of other countries such as India to fight.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Nov. 2025
-
Candidates are looking to cut through the noise by tricking AI filters, while recruiters are drowning in a flood of applications, and companies are posting ghost jobs.—
Nino Paoli,
Fortune,
18 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Road rage is a year-round constant in Colorado, but summer can bring more drivers to the state’s roads and increase the chance of encountering an aggressive driver, Mendez said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
15 June 2026
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What to know about the weather The event is encountering significant threats due to weather.—
Isabella Murray,
ABC News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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